Press release
Minister McConalogue congratulates President Higgins on being awarded the UN FAO Agricola Medal
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D., today congratulated President Michael D. Higgins, who was awarded the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Agricola Medal. The medal, which bears the Latin name for farmer, is conferred upon international figures who have undertaken outstanding efforts in advancing the cause of global food security, poverty alleviation and nutrition. The President was presented with the Agricola Medal by the Director-General of the FAO, Dr Qu Dongyu, in a ceremony in Áras an Uachtaráin on Friday.
The award of the medal recognises the President’s “contribution and commitment to the welfare of all peoples, attaining universal food security, and the pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals”. It follows the attendance of President Higgins at the World Food Forum last October, hosted at the FAO’s headquarters in Rome, where he delivered two key addresses on the topic of food security. That visit was undertaken as part of a week-long visit to the FAO and Rome together with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Minister McConalogue said,
“I congratulate President Higgins on his award today. I know that the vital need for food security, and the importance of moving past reactive emergency responses to tackling the underlying structural causes of hunger, has been a key theme of the President’s work.”
"My department leads Ireland’s engagement with FAO and the award to President Higgins today reflects both his and Ireland’s commitment to international efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. I have engaged intensively with the FAO during my time as Minister also particularly on ensuring the concept of sustainable food systems and sustainable livestock production are enshrined in policy. This reflects the huge achievements in Irish agriculture and our farmers in becoming world leaders in sustainable food systems under the banner of our Food Vision 2030 Strategy. We look forward to continuing to work together in transforming food systems, at home and abroad.”
"It was also a great honour for us to host FAO Director General Dr. Qu Dongyu on his visit to Ireland. His itinerary included a showcasing of the best of Irish agriculture and food from the high-quality research at the UCD School of Agriculture to a visit west to see the work of University of Galway on sustainable development and the Marine Institute on areas such as aquaculture production. It is only through international collaboration that collectively we will improve global food security and we will continue to engage with FAO and play a leading role on these very important issues.”
ENDS
Note for Editors:
UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
FAO is a United Nations organisation mandated to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable, enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems and increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises.
Further details of the partnership between Ireland and the FAO are outlined in the report FAO + Ireland: Partnering for a Peaceful, Equal and Sustainable World which is available at: : FAO and Ireland celebrate collaboration and renew commitment to partnership.
Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine funding to FAO in 2023 was €4.4million.